The 22-year-old Campbell, who started the season unranked on Baseball America’s Red Sox Top 30 list, seized the chance to learn from Story during his four games with Worcester.
“I was impressed because he asked me numerous questions about shortstop and playing infield,” Story noted. “He’s very eager to improve.”
Campbell has also recorded impressive exit velocities. His longest and hardest home run in Triple-A was a three-run shot that traveled 431 feet at 108.3 mph to center field against Toledo on August 27.
His first Triple-A homer measured 422 feet with a 105.3 mph exit velocity on August 23 against Rochester, where he also hit a single at 111.2 mph.
Baseball America highlighted Campbell, stating, “His 108 mph 90th percentile exit velocity against right-handed pitchers showcases plus-plus raw power, which is remarkable given his contact skills. His maximum exit velocity of 111.2 already exceeds the major league median.”
“He was impressive,” Story remarked about Campbell. “He’s a really physical kid, a great athlete, and quite mature. This is his first year in pro ball, and he’s already at Triple-A, which is impressive.”
As of Tuesday, Campbell’s stats included a .329/.439/.560/.999 line, 20 home runs, 32 doubles, three triples, 77 RBIs, 94 runs, 74 walks, and 113 strikeouts over 113 games (512 plate appearances) across High-A Greenville, Portland, and Worcester.
Baseball America’s Eli Ben-Porat noted, “It’s very close, but in my opinion, Kristian Campbell is the top prospect in the Boston Red Sox system.”
Roommates and Battery Mates.
Rookie right-hander Richard Fitts, who made his MLB debut on Sunday, roomed with 22-year-old Teel in Worcester after Teel’s promotion on August 12.
“I really appreciate his work ethic,” Fitts said. “He was very open about wanting to learn about us as pitchers. He was eager to catch, even during practice. He wanted to catch everyone and get to know us so that he would be comfortable, and we would feel comfortable with him during games. That speaks volumes about his maturity.”
Fitts also praised both Anthony and Campbell.
“Roman had some really solid at-bats and looked comfortable. Every time he came to the plate, we expected him to get on base. Campbell was equally impressive with his bat-to-ball skills.”
Mikey Romero’s Success.
Red Sox 2022 first-round draft pick Mikey Romero has hit six home runs in his first 11 games at Double-A Portland, where he was promoted on August 27.
Story, who worked out with Romero while they both rehabbed in Fort Myers last year, noted that Romero had been limited to just 34 games in 2023 due to back issues.
“He’s swinging the bat well,” Story said. “I’m really happy for him because he’s overcome a lot. He’s faced many tough breaks, and he deserves this success after all his hard work.”
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